'Gigantic' Praying Mantis Stalks Subway Searching For Brains To Eat

New Yorkers are used to sharing space on the subway with all exotic subhuman walks of life—from rats to sharks to manspreaders to bats. But a truly rare sighting occurred yesterday, when City Council member Keith Powers came face-to-face with a giant praying mantis aboard the train.

Like most New Yorkers, I’m frightened by the gigantic praying mantis on the subway but also relieved that he didn’t yell “It’s showtime!” pic.twitter.com/58sPRZVvfn

"Andy Byford continues to improve the subways and up the game," Council Speaker Corey Johnson weighed in, but unless England is rife with praying mantises and Byford decided to capture and release a few in the system as part of his upcoming PUNK'D: MTA Transit Edition pilot, I'm not sure I understand the relative cheeriness. For while praying mantises are generally considered a "good" insect, one which humans praise for consuming mosquitos like they're Doritos, I can't get over the fact that they also EAT BRAINS. Not like insect brains—FREAKIN' HUMMINGBIRD BRAINS.

How long until they grow bored of bird brains and they get curious about our delicious cerebellums?

Nature is brutal, dude. I would absolutely not mess around with these jaws of death. Warning: don't watch this video unless you are prepared for shit to get real.

"I was on the subway and there was a small commotion. A praying mantis was making some of the riders nervous and definitely fearful," one person wrote in 2013. As rare as it is for one of these buggers to pop up here, New Yorkers have gotten chillingly complacent about brushes with these jaw-snapping, brain-guzzling predators. There have been subway sightings in 2017 and 2015, on the N/Q line, the R train, and at the Court Street Station. Here's one typical reaction: "a praying mantis just landed on me getting off the subway and surprised the living shit out of me omg i screamed," Rachel Kaplan tweeted, "like legit screamed and then when i realized what it was felt stupid because they’re harmless but sTILL." Sure they're harmless enough...assuming you are wearing a protective helmet to secure your delicious brain.

Anyway, my favorite part of this is that even when the MTA tries to get in on the fun, they get mercilessly dunked on.